Hide 'n Seek
by microgirl
Summary: Is a certain couple better at hiding their relationship than their friends finding out about it? GSR
1. Chapter 1

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 1_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone in regards to CSI; the show and its characters belong to a bunch of people who aren't me. I am merely borrowing the characters for my own amusement. Dance puppets, dance._

_Author's Notes: This little series is my own explanation for how the team finds out about Grissom and Sara. I decided that everyone started finding out at the end of Season 5 and going through Season 6. Each major character (Catherine, Warrick, Nick, Greg, Brass, and Dr. Robbins) will get their own fun way of discovering our geeks._

_This story is dedicated to EllipsesBandit for not only being beta-extraordinaire, but for also getting me the coolest birthday present, EVER. Thanks to her, I am the proud owner of a signed photo of William Petersen and Jorja Fox (the picture is from "Time of Your Death). Wintergreen LifeSavers were also attached to the pic, and she gave me a bag of the candy too. You rule:)_

_One other thing; for whatever reason my muse was in the refrigerator when I wrote this, so food appears quite a bit in this series._

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_Early July 2005_

"You're not actually going to wear that, are you?"

Nick Stokes smiled at Sara's withering stare as she adjusted the collar on her jean jacket.

"Yes, I am wearing this." She turned to the mirror hanging on her locker door. "While my fashion sense is questionable, at least according to Catherine, I don't own ugly, paisley green shirts."

He laughed, and continued to tie his boots. He watched in amazement as Sara put on some lip gloss, then quickly fluffed her hair.

"So," he drawled, "what are you doing this morning?"

She just shrugged, but he couldn't miss the cheerful twinkle in her eye. "Just meeting someone for breakfast."

He nodded casually. "I hope he's paying or at least making you something."

Shutting her locker, she turned to where he sat on the bench. "What makes you think the person I'm meeting is a 'he'?"

"Sara, I grew up with three sisters. You do the same hair-flippy, last minute make-up check they did before going on a date." He stood up with his leather coat in hand. "Besides, you used to throw your stuff in your locker, huff about how you were being forced to go home, and stomp out of here."

Even though she shot him a mock-scowl, he continued, "And now you take your time getting all pretty before you leave." He flashed a bright grin. "That can only mean you're meeting a guy."

She didn't say anything, merely shaking her head. "You should save those investigative skills for work, Nick."

Knowing he had her beat, his grin broadened. "So we still on for the movies on Saturday night?" When she told him yes, he added, "It's nice your mystery man doesn't mind sharing."

The heavy boot did nothing to protect his foot as Sara stepped on him walking away.

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At 8:00pm on their shared night off, Nick met Sara at her apartment, and they took her car to the theatre. Along the way, he tried to find out more about the mystery man, but she remained tight lipped.

"C'mon Sara," Nick whined when they pulled into the parking lot. "You can at least tell me what he looks like."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, he's got two eyes. Oh! And a mouth…right below his nose."

"How very descriptive," he uttered dryly.

She chuckled at his frustration, then said honestly, "Nick, this…thing is fairly new. I don't…I don't want to want to bring other people in it yet."

"Fair enough." They started walking to the theatre, but Nick stopped. "I have two more questions, and I'd appreciate truthful answers."

Sighing loudly, she relented, "I'll try my best."

"Good." In an entirely serious tone he asked, "Does he treat you right? Emotionally _and_ physically?"

Her eyes soften at his concern. "He's a gentleman, and he would never hurt me like that."

His jaw loosened as he continued with his second question. "And he makes you happy?"

She nodded. "Yes. He makes me very happy."

"That's what I need to know then."

The last few years on the job had taught Nick that many women were successful at hiding the abuse they suffered. While he knew Sara could handle herself in a relationship, he still felt relieved by her answers.

During the time they worked together, he worried work would consume Sara-that she would never enjoy the better parts of life. But lately he saw her smile more, and even caught her singing to herself a couple of times. He hoped she would introduce him to the mystery man one day so he could see who finally got her away from the lab.

After two hours of an action filled blockbuster, they headed out to the car, debating on where they should go for dinner. Nick opened the back passenger door to place his commemorative movie popcorn bucket on the seat. When he went to set the bucket down, he noticed something sitting on the leather. He smiled as he picked up the object; funny that this one piece gave the identity to her mystery man. It was also funny that the person who got her away from the lab also practically lived there himself.

"Hey, Sara," he said, catching her attention before she got in the driver's side. "Your guy wouldn't happen to have blue eyes, gray hair, and a beard around that mouth?" He held up a straw hat. "Would he?"

Her only answer was a slightly red face.

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_I know this chapter is kinda short, but the other ones will be longer. Stayed tuned for the Amazing Greggo and his Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 2 or The Greatness of Nana Olaf's Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies_

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I seriously didn't expect that kind of response. Feel free to help yourselves to some cookies for all the nice comments :)_

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_Late August 2005_

"The Cookie Monster has arrived!"

"Hey, Greg. Come on in."

He entered Sara's apartment armed with grocery bags full of margarine, flour, chocolate chips, and other ingredients for baking cookies. The lab had taken part in a bake sale to raise money for a local domestic violence shelter. Ecklie informed the staff he would like to see as much participation as possible, which essentially meant volunteering was mandatory.

"So you got all the stuff for your grandmother's recipe?" She gestured to the items he already set on the counter.

"Yup. Everything for Nana Olaf's patented Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies," Greg proudly declared. "They are without a doubt the greatest cookies in the world."

She raised an eyebrow. "I hope this isn't some secret family recipe that you shouldn't be sharing."

"No. Nana Olaf is very generous with her recipes; she loves to teach to people how to cook, which is why I am able to woo women to my dinner table."

"Now you just have to figure out how to get them to your bedroom."

He put a hand over his heart in mock agony. "I am seriously hurt by that, just so you know."

She laughed and ignored his comment. As he tied an apron around his waist, Greg noticed a vase full of red roses on her dining room table. He knew she was seeing somebody; her strange behavior pointed in that direction -- especially after the day he and Sara had breakfast at the diner and she received a text message. When she read it, he could have sworn he saw her eyes turn shiny like a new penny. She put her cell phone away and continued talking to him. The goofy grin didn't leave her face though. It was time to find out who 'he' was.

"Nice flowers. Are they from your mystery man?"

Before she answered, she hesitated for the briefest moment. "They're from…a good friend."

He shook his head with a smile. "Friends don't give friends roses. Tulips, yes. Hydrangeas, yes. Even daisies are acceptable to give a friend." He took a step closer to her. "There is only one time a friend gives a friend roses, and that's when a _boy_friend gives them to his_ girl_friend."

"Can we just get started on the cookies?" She requested exasperatedly.

"Changing the subject, great move," he stated. "I hope he knows you have avoidance issues.

Sara threw an oven mitt at him.

While they mixed the ingredients, Greg attempted to guess who she was dating. He started counting off the men at the lab.

"Bobby?"

"Nice guy, but no."

"Ronnie?"

"Nope."

"Archie?"

"Archie's practically engaged."

He thought for a second before he asked about the next name. He shuddered at the thought of this man being romantic, with Sara or any woman for that matter. However, curiosity got the best of him.

"Is it Hodges?"

She carefully set down the measuring spoon in her hand, and stared at him with grim eyes. "If you ever suggest that to anyone, _ever_,they will never find your body."

The tone of her voice was threatening enough. Greg didn't want to know what she might to do him. Continuing to stir the batter, he decided it was wise to stop the interrogation.

Forty-five minutes later, the first batch came out of the oven. They ate some because the cookies "needed to be taste-tested." She pulled out some glasses while Greg opened the refrigerator looking for milk. He shifted a few items to reach the carton and his eyes opened in horror when he saw the agar plates sitting next to a bottle of orange juice. No, just no.

He shut the door, and handed her the milk. "I pictured you more as a _Staphylococcus aureus _person than a _Bacillus cereus_ gal," he said, referring to the labels on the plates.

She swallowed noticeably. "I guess you know who 'he' is then."

"Yeah I think so."

Greg's mind just couldn't wrap around the thought of Grissom actually being romantic, like sending an "I love you" text message or buying her roses. It was way too weird.

Sara took a deep breath before speaking again. "Greg, I know you have a lot questions…but I don't want to answer them right now. I just need you to promise not to spread this around the lab. We haven't told Ecklie yet, and…just please don't say anything."

Truthfully, he wanted to run to Catherine, Warrick, and Nick and tell them that he was the first to figure out who Sara was dating. But there was the slightest hint of fear in her eyes that told him this was very important to her.

"I promise I won't say a word."

"Thank you," she told him sincerely.

The kitchen remained silent for the next several minutes as they placed the dough on the baking sheets. Greg tried to ignore the one question rolling around in his brain, but was having little success. He tapped the spoon on the counter in an anxious rhythm. Finally, he gave up, dropping the utensil in the mixing bowl.

"I know you said no questions, but I have to ask; why Grissom? I mean, he's old and grouchy and he collects bugs and is easily the weirdest man on the planet."

"Exactly."

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Three nights later, Greg went to Grissom's office to drop off some files. He couldn't look at the supervisor the same way again with the newfound information. Just thinking of Grissom behaving like some loving boyfriend hurt his head.

Greg knocked on the door, and walked in when Grissom glanced up. Grissom promptly went back to filling out what ever form he was working on.

Placing the files on the desk, Greg stood in front of him for a moment, waiting to be acknowledged. There was something he wanted to say since he found out about Grissom and Sara and this appeared to be the opportunity.

Though, maybe not. It took Grissom another minute before he looked up again. Finally he said, "Thank you. Good job on the Ohtori case."

Greg was taken aback by his boss's praise. "Ummm…thanks."

Grissom continued with his work while Greg tried to gather his courage for the words. However, Grissom refused to speak, so he chose to leave.

As he turned around, he heard, "Sara told me about the plates."

"At least you two have no problems communicating with each other." Greg showed the slightest bit of a smile, but it quickly disappeared when he saw Grissom. The older man gazed at the young CSI like he was studying a piece of evidence.

The silence continued until Greg couldn't handle it any longer. He balled a hand into a fist, hoping to disguise his nervousness. He prayed he wouldn't get fired for what he was about to say. "Sara…she-she's really special, you know."

Greg's heart pounded as Grissom stared at him with a hardened expression. Not receiving any reprimand, he kept going.

"It's just…she's been happy for a while; happier than I've seen her since…ever." Greg maintained eye contact so it was clear his words were not to be taken lightly. "And I don't want to see her get hurt. She doesn't deserve that."

Greg expected one of two things to happen: the first possibility being Grissom wouldn't say a word, wouldn't react at all, forcing the former DNA tech to live in fear for the rest of his life. Or Grissom could very coolly inform him to mind his own business. Then Greg would get every decomp case for the rest of his career.

What he didn't expect was Grissom's next words. "I intend to make sure that doesn't happen."

It was a rarity to hear Grissom share a part of himself; something akin to seeing Hayley's comet. But for a split second Greg caught a glimpse of the man that was seen only by Sara. Greg appreciated Grissom's honesty and felt a sense of pride with the recognition of his solid friendship with brunette.

He gave Grissom a short nod of approval, and started toward the door. Before he reached the threshold, Greg snapped his fingers, and addressed his boss again.

"One more thing; if she ever bakes you cookies, make sure you ask if she got all the eggshells out of the dough."

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_I can't help but mention Greg's grandparents whenever I write about our favorite goof. The names are just too fun to say. Papa Olaf and Nana Olaf. Yeah, I'm a big dork. Anywho, I'll be back later with the wonderful Warrick Brown._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 3 or Warrick Needs Thumbtacks_

_A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews! I'm so happy you guys like this story. Have fun with the new chapter :) _

_Ice cream to EllipsesBandit for being super-uber beta and helping me fix this chapter._

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_Mid-October 2005_

"Did I just see that? Was Sara Sidle yawning?"

"Don't tell anyone."

Warrick smirked as he continued to place photographs on the table. They stood in the layout room discussing their latest case when he noticed her trying to discreetly cover a yawn. Then she blinked her eyes as if she were trying to stay awake.

It surprised the hell out of Warrick to catch her like that; they had worked triple shifts in the past, and the sleep deprivation hadn't seemed to affect her at all.

Another yawn came from her direction. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were tired," he commented

Sara blew out a frustrated breath. "I haven't been sleeping very well for the last two weeks."

"Insomnia?"

"No, nothing like that. Just haven't been sleeping as deeply lately. I've been waking up a couple times during the day."

Warrick understood that feeling; he slept differently after a tough case or the times when his wife wasn't next to him.

He examined a picture of the victim's body. "First you're yawning, then you admit you're tired, next thing you know, you'll be taking vacation." He didn't look up as he added, "But, you've already done that."

Shaking her head in irritation, she asked, "Why is it so hard for everyone to believe that I'm taking time off?"

"Because you've never used the fourteen weeks in your name." He scanned a file folder, reviewing some notes. "I saw you're taking off the week of Thanksgiving. You going anywhere?"

Her mouth opened, but she didn't speak. Some lines increased in her forehead as if she was concentrating on a piece of evidence, but her eyes appeared to be focused a spot on the table. She must have thought of an answer when she looked at him. "I'm going to a small town outside of Los Angeles; it's right along the coast."

"Planning to be a beach bum?"

She grinned. "The hou-," she stopped and corrected herself, "place I'm staying at is close to the beach, so yes. But there's an art gallery there that I'm looking forward to seeing."

"Sounds cool."

A loud beeping sound rang in the room. Warrick looked at his belt, but saw that it wasn't his pager going off.

"It's Wendy," Sara announced as she got up from her chair, "she's got our DNA results."

As she left Warrick remembered that Grissom was also taking time off at Thanksgiving. Come to think of it, he heard something about how Grissom wouldn't be available during that time as he would be out of town.

Nick poked his head in from the doorway. "Hey, man. Have you seen Grissom? I have some trace results for him."

"Nope," Warrick shook his head. "I didn't even know he was back."

"Yeah, his two week lecture set just finished. Just flew in this afternoon."

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"Hey, yo Sare-bear!"

Sara turned around in the hallway at Greg's booming voice. He walked to her from the A/V lab with an exceptionally wide smile. She frowned. "Sare-bear?"

"It's a nickname. You don't like it?" She didn't say a word. "Guess not. I was just wondering where you were headed to."

She looked at Greg as if he had just admitted he started listening to classical music. "I'm going to DNA."

"DNA, really. DNA lab that's located near the supply room." His expression brightened even more. "If you're heading in that direction, can you pick me up a box of gloves?"

"Why don't you get them yourself?"

"Because I'm going the opposite way; I have to head over to P.D. Please, pretty please go get some gloves for me." He gave her the big, glassy puppy-dog eyes.

Giving in to his request, she sighed, "Fine, I'll go get your stupid gloves."

"Great! Don't forget, they're right next to the swabs." With that he took off.

She shook her head at Greg's exceptionally bizarre behavior. After gathering the results from Wendy, Sara made her way to the supply room. She subtly glanced at the other labs hoping to see Grissom.

He had gone to do a two week lecture series at several universities throughout the country. While they spoke on the phone almost everyday, she hadn't known this small separation would affect her so much. She hadn't liked turning over in bed to not bump into his large, warm body. As much as she complained about his inability to walk to the hamper, her bathroom floor was too clean without his pile of dirty clothes. And as shallow as it sounded, she missed his homemade waffles.

His flight was supposed to come in the previous morning, but many delays kept him from coming home. Finally, he got a plane out of Charlotte only to be called in on case. They hadn't seen each other since he had gotten back.

As she got to the aisle with the gloves and the swabs, her heart hammered at the sight of the man standing there.

Grissom's eyes turned the unique shade of aqua they took on whenever he saw her. "Hey," he said softly.

She took a few small steps in his direction. "Hey, yourself. What are you doing back here?"

"Greg said we were almost out of swabs, and I needed to check the new catalogue number on them." He pursed his lips at her smirk. "What?"

She was now within inches of him, and the scent of his soap made it harder to think. "Greg asked me to get him a box of gloves."

"Really?" He leaned in close enough so she could feel his breath on her face.

She didn't get a chance to respond as his lips met her own. Though, Grissom interrupted the moment when he decided to speak. "Remind me to thank Sanders," he mumbled against her chin.

"Just shut up."

They spent the next several moments involved in slow, languorous kisses. She couldn't get enough of the flavor of his mouth; he tasted like freshly baked sugar cookies.

Sara kept one hand in his soft curls while the other traveled the length of his broad back. Grissom's arms were firmly wrapped around her waist, keeping her as close as possible. The pace slowed down to a few gentle pecks, and finally they just rested against each other.

Her head eventually cleared, and she remembered their firm agreement that they would never be affectionate at the lab. "We should probably get back to work," she murmured in his ear.

Then Grissom did something horrible; so completely vile and foul that she should have left the supply room right away. He rubbed their noses together, and spoke in a quiet voice, "I missed you."

He just had to be romantic and sweet. They could spare a minute or two more, right? She pulled his face back to her's for another kiss. Just as she trailed her fingers along his beard, someone shouted, "Jesus Christ!"

She and Grissom jerked apart to see a bright red Warrick Brown.

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If his grandmother were still alive, she would have smacked him upside the head; she didn't tolerate blasphemy. Most of the time he was good about not cursing, but when he got caught off guard, like now, the words just slipped.

Warrick had come to the supply room to get a box of thumbtacks. Nothing more. He didn't expect to find his two friends engaged in a fairly passionate kiss.

He could feel the burn of embarrassment from his hairline all the way to his neck. Sara's eyes stayed closed as if hoping the situation was some terrible dream, and her entire face had taken on a pomegranate shade. Grissom purposely avoided looking at both Warrick and Sara; he seemed more interested in a torn box that sat on the shelf next to him. But the supervisor's eyes couldn't hide the desire of a man wanting to disappear into thin air.

Warrick ignored the pounding in his ears as he hastily explained himself.

"I-I came back for…I didn't mean…N-Nick was looking…but you two were bus…and … thumbtacks." Then he swiftly bolted.

As soon as he got to the hallway, Warrick took a couple of deep breaths and put on his best poker face. He walked back to the layout trying to act as if he hadn't just seen Grissom and Sara making out.

His suspicions rose about the two when Nick said Grissom was gone for two weeks, and Sara's sleeping problems fell in the same time frame. He knew neither of them would tell anyone about their relationship unless it was necessary. Warrick was just content to see what other clues would slip out.

But did he need a blatantly obvious, permanently-engraved-in-your-brain kind of clue?

No. No, he didn't.

He was glad they were together; otherwise he would have had to call Brass to have Sara arrested for molesting the boss.

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_He he he. I have to admit it; embarrassing Warrick was a blast. I think I'll do it again later… Catherine is up next and she makes an interesting discovery at the townhouse._


	4. Chapter 4

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 4 or Catherine Doesn't Get Grissom's Homemade Waffles_

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. As soon as I posted it, the site went wonky so I appreciate everyone sticking with me :) I'm going to try to have this series done before the premiere. More canon GSR in two weeks!_

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_Late November 2005_

"Can you scramble my eggs? And just add a little bit of salt to 'em. Oh, and also put on some of that spice you used before."

"Would her majesty prefer ketchup or Tabasco?"

Catherine Willows glanced up from the table and gave Grissom a sweet smile. "Tabasco is fine."

It had taken a few months, but Catherine finally managed to have breakfast with Grissom. He'd claimed he was too busy, leaving her with vague excuses. Fed up with his secrets, she threatened to drop by his townhouse unannounced; he complied almost immediately.

She finished flipping through his most recent _Williams-Sonoma_ catalogue, and picked up a forensics journal from a small stack of magazines. Of course she expected more forensics material underneath, but her eyebrows rose to her hairline when she saw a furniture catalogue. Looking further through the stack, she found paint chip samples, and more booklets for bath towels and dining room sets.

Grissom stood at the stove with his back to Catherine, so he didn't hear her open the one with the curtains on the cover. Inside, some of the color selections had been circled, along with some scrawled numbers of window measurements. The handwriting wasn't Grissom's, but it looked oddly familiar…

"So what's with all the home décor magazines?" She asked.

He turned slightly, and offered a noncommittal shrug. "I'm just thinking of doing some redecorating."

"This doesn't look like _some_ redecorating." She picked up a catalogue with bed sheets in it. "This looks like some serious changes."

"It's finally time for serious changes," he cryptically replied as he cooked the eggs.

"Care to share the reason for this 'serious change?'" Catherine sipped her screwdriver.

"No."

She sighed, "Gil, it wouldn't kill you to open up every once in a while." He didn't respond to her comment, so she took the opportunity to walk to the bathroom. She went upstairs because Grissom had told her the faucet wasn't working in the guest bathroom.

As she dried her hands, she noticed a purple bottle sitting on the edge of the tub, not quite hidden by the shower curtain. In Catherine's experience, men's soaps and shower gels never came in purple. Picking up the bottle, she read its label: black-raspberry vanilla.

Black-raspberry vanilla.

So Grissom was hiding a girlfriend -- an apparently steady girlfriend if the woman left her things at his house. So who was it?

The only place where Grissom ever met women was through the lab, and Catherine could count four that had shown interest in him: Teri Miller, Lady Heather, Sofia Curtis, and Sara Sidle.

From what Catherine knew, Teri was still happily married; she even heard the forensic anthropologist had given birth to a second child a few weeks ago.

Not long after they closed the Buckman/Richards case, Catherine had asked Grissom if was still talking to Lady Heather. Catherine suspected a shift in the relationship between Grissom and the other woman. He simply stated with the murders solved, he didn't need to keep in contact with the victims' associates, and that included the dominatrix. He hadn't spoken to Lady Heather since. Besides, she didn't seem like the type of woman to go back to a man after he accused her of murder.

When Sofia first came on board, Grissom appeared to be intrigued with her. Catherine had passed by his office to see Sofia sitting on his desk, and the two having a lengthy conversation. But there was something about Sofia that Catherine didn't trust. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it seemed as if the blonde detective was trying to take something that didn't belong to her.

In recent months though, the flirting and casual talking ceased between Grissom and Sofia. Now, he only spoke to her about cases, and nothing more.

That left Sara. At first Catherine thought Sara only had a crush on Grissom because of the subtle smiles and casual flirtations. But those actions had continued over the years. Several times Catherine had seen Sara walk to Grissom's office, raise her hand to knock on the door, and then suddenly walk away. She obviously wanted to talk to him about something important, but chickened out at the last minute.

However, during the summer Catherine noticed when the weekly schedules came out that Grissom and Sara had many of the same days off. And just two weeks ago, Catherine and Grissom were discussing some paperwork in his office. Grissom's attention was briefly diverted as his eyes followed something through the window. A little smirk emerged on his face before he returned to their conversation. She had caught a glimpse of a certain tall brunette walking out of sight.

So Sara and Grissom were together…

He was going to open up; even she had to kill him.

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Catherine strolled back into the kitchen as Grissom was scooping the food onto the plates. She stood behind him, put her nose to the back of his neck, and inhaled.

After dropping the spatula, he jerked around. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked, rather irritated.

"Confirming my suspicions," she informed him, stepping away. "I didn't think you would use black-raspberry vanilla body wash, but I had to make sure. It's a nice scent by the way." Her next question came out in a mixture of seriousness and humor. "Is it Sara's favorite?"

He remained quiet once again as he handed her a plate, and proceeded to the dining room.

"Face it Gil, I know about you and Sara," she said, joining him. "You're not going to avoid this one."

Minutes of silence passed before Grissom relented by quirking an eyebrow.

She wasted no time. "How long?"

"Since April."

"And I take it she'll be moving in." Catherine gestured toward the catalogues.

He nodded. "Within the next month. We thought it would make more sense to redecorate first, and then get her stuff here."

Catherine mulled over the new information with many emotions rolling through her. It was shocking to not only find out her good friend and her colleague were dating, but were also going to be living together. Even more surprising, she found herself a little hurt that Grissom hadn't told her this before.

She hadn't realized he had been waiting for a response until she looked into his guarded expression. "What?" She wanted to know.

"Aren't you going to say it?"

"Say what?"

"How co-workers and lovers never work," he said evenly.

A snarky response about Sara telling him everything almost came out, but Catherine decided against it.

She thought about her words for a moment before she responded, "Maybe for most people, but you and Sara seem to be doing just fine. Besides, you know as a scientist that a," she stopped to search for the right word, "rule doesn't apply to every situation."

Grissom's eyes brightened a shade as they shared a small smile. While eating, Catherine picked up another catalogue. "So it looks like Sara wants to give this place an overhaul."

He shrugged. "Our home could use more color."

Her voice turned nauseatingly sweet. "Oh, Gil, that so cute; it's already _our home_."

It wasn't often she got to see his face turn lobster red.

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_Five days later_

Catherine was getting ready to go home, while Sara stood a several feet away, doing the same. The women had shared a tense conversation a few days before when Catherine confessed to knowing about the relationship. Sara immediately became defensive, but Catherine told her she reserved no judgment on them. An awkward understanding took the place of a formal truce.

"You got any plans today?" Catherine asked, making casual small talk.

Sara pulled a jacket from her locker. "I was just going to go by some department stores to, uh…look at some curtains."

"If you get there right at opening, you shouldn't have too many problems. The stores will be less busy, and you'll be able to snag a salesman," Catherine offered.

"That's the plan." After putting her purse on her shoulder, Sara scanned the wall behind Catherine as if searching for something more to say. She apparently gave up as she said, "See you tomorrow."

Just as Sara was about push the door opened, Catherine called out, "Cool white."

The tall woman turned with a confused frown. "Cool white?"

"The color for the curtains," explained Catherine. "It would look good with the shade of blue you picked to paint the living room."

Sara's eyebrows furrowed in greater confusion. "Uh…thanks." She paused. "Grissom's going to be doing some paperwork, and if you're not doing anything, I could sure use someone's opinion that goes beyond 'that's nice' and 'whatever you want.'"

A chuckle escaped Catherine. "Typical male response. I have to drop Lindsey off at school, but I can meet you over there in about an hour."

Sara agreed to the plans and left.

Catherine smiled to herself. Maybe she could torment Grissom later with vague recounts of "girl talk."

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_I don't have any pent up resentment against Sofia. I don't know what you're talking about. And only Sara gets the waffles. Next up is the greatest snarkiest cop ever: the Brassman._


	5. Chapter 5

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 5 or Why Brass Can't Live Off of Rabbit Food._

_A/N: I hope this doesn't sound forced or fake, but I am seriously grateful for all the reviews. This has been a lot of fun to write. It's definitely been a challenge to write the other characters, but it appears I am doing them justice, so thanks :)_

_For you, EllipsesBandit. Because without your help, this thing would be bad. Really bad ;)_

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_Late January 2006_

"So are you becoming a hermit crab? Making this office your permanent home? Because I don't think I've seen you leave this place in two days."

"Hermit crabs don't have permanent homes, Jim. They change shells when they mate and as they grow. Their exoskeletons-"

"I get it, I get it," Jim Brass said, interrupting Grissom's mini-lecture. The homicide captain took a seat on the other side of Grissom's desk, noting the stacks of files that had accumulated with the recent cases.

Lately, burglaries and murders had overwhelmed the police department, leaving officers and CSIs working at least three double shifts a week. Brass had unfortunately visited his scotch bottle more than once to ease the strain so he decided to start going to the batting cages near his condo.

He did wonder how Grissom was holding up. While his friend was successful at hiding his emotions from the team, Brass would watch Grissom walk slowly to his car after shift as if he carried the weight of the world. But then Grissom would return looking well rested and ready for another night of work.

Brass knew Grissom used roller coasters as a diversion, but the supervisor never appeared completely content after riding them. Brass began to think there might be someone in Grissom's life who helped relieve him of the burden of seeing the worst of humanity.

"How did your doctor's appointment go?" Brass asked as Grissom filled out more reports.

Looking up, Grissom sighed, "I'm doing fine, except my cholesterol is a little high."

Ever since he hit fifty, his own doctor reminded Brass he needed to maintain a healthy diet. That of course meant cutting back on the sweets, salty foods, and red meats. For the most part Brass followed the doctor's orders, but there was no way in hell he was going to order a Cesar's Salad at the LoneStar Steakhouse.

Of course Brass remembered while dating his ex-wife he had trouble with his cholesterol levels. She had loved the fact that the gruff detective could cook a decent meal; his specialty was cheese enchiladas. Then there was also the problem of her being able to cook too. And it hadn't helped that there were a lot of great restaurants near their old house.

Was Grissom having the same problem? The times Brass visited the lab around lunch time he noticed the taller man eating some kind of savory leftover.

But knowing Grissom…

"A side effect of an experiment?" Brass half-jokingly suggested.

Not even cracking a smile, Grissom answered, "Yes, actually."

Of course it was part of an experiment. What kind of experiment, Brass didn't know. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Other than the side effects, has your experiment been working?"

Grissom shrugged. "There have been a few glitches over its duration, but overall the experiment has proven to be successful.

"Good to know."

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_One week later_

Brass once again found himself in search of Grissom. This time he wanted to meet up with the other man for lunch. After checking all the labs, Brass made his way to the break room where he found Sara, reading a book and eating a salad.

After greeting her, Brass asked if she had seen Grissom.

"I think he went to the picnic benches out front," Sara replied.

"How have you been doing?" He placed a hand a her shoulder briefly. Ever since he caught her popping cough drops at a scene, Brass wanted to make sure she didn't fall into the same trap he had.

She gave him a tired smile. "It's been a tough couple of weeks, but I've been hanging in there. It's good to go home and just relax. Read a book. Curl up under some blankets and watch a movie"

Brass nodded. He hoped one day she would find someone with whom she could share those activities.

His gaze shifted to her salad for moment. It looked fairly standard; lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumber. The broccoli was a little strange though. Then he noticed the sliced pieces of a certain yellow vegetable. Did she really put…

"Zucchini, Sara?" There was no hiding the disgust in his voice.

"What's wrong with that?"

"It's rabbit food. Most people put normal stuff in their salad. You know; croutons, cheese, ranch dressing."

She cocked her head to the right. "That stuff kind of defeats the purpose of the meal being, I don't know…healthy."

"You usually bring in better leftovers than this. What happened to the lasagna, casseroles, Mexican food, and Chinese food?"

"I decided to cut back on that stuff."

Walking toward the door, he told her, "I'll see you later. Enjoy your meal, Thumper."

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The cool night air didn't affect Brass as he walked across the lawn in front of the police the police department. Off to his left were a couple of picnic benches under a bright lamp. There, he saw Grissom sitting alone. He appeared to be engrossed in a case file.

Grissom merely looked up when Brass placed a sandwich, apple, and bottle of soda across from him. As he sat down Brass noticed that Grissom was eating a salad too.

"Part of your diet?" Brass inquired

"Healthy eating plan," Grissom corrected, "Studies have shown people are more likely to stick to consuming more fruits and vegetables when they call it a healthy eating plan rather than a diet."

Grissom's salad looked fairly standard; lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumber. The broccoli was a little strange though. Then he noticed sliced pieces of a certain yellow vegetable.

_This was Sara's salad_, Brass realized. Either this was one hell of a coincidence or she was preparing Grissom's lunches too. Brass decided option two was more likely.

Now it was possible that Grissom had talked to Sara about healthy salads, and he just happened to make the food the same way she had done. But glancing at the bowl again told Brass that wasn't the case; the cucumbers and carrots were sliced in the exact manner as were in Sara's meal.

Thinking back to a couple weeks ago, when he grabbed a bottle of water from the break room refrigerator, Brass saw a small red box from a pizza place that had Sara's name written across the top. That same night, he stopped by Grissom's office and there was another red box in his refrigerator, next to the chocolate covered grasshoppers.

So it seemed Grissom and Sara's relationship had changed for the better. Grinning inwardly, Brass found Sara's gesture of helping Grissom lower his cholesterol incredibly thoughtful. It showed a lot about her feelings for his friend. And Grissom obviously cared a great deal for her since he changed his eating habits.

"Looks good, but broccoli and zucchini?"

"They're good for the heart and the immune system. Both contain vitamin C and calcium. Broccoli has selenium, which contains anti-cancer and anti-viral agents. Zucchini has potassium and vitamin A."

"I saw Sara was eating the same salad a little earlier," Brass commented offhandedly.

Peering over his glasses, Grissom replied seriously, "She's probably read the same information."

Brass couldn't corral the grin that formed. "Probably."

Since the two were on their healthy eating plan, Brass decided to buy Grissom and Sara each a glass of orange juice after work to congratulate them. He would toast Sara to finding someone to unwind with after hard shifts and he would toast Grissom to finally getting his head out of his ass.

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_Back to the food; it's always the food. I should admit I have a problem and be done with it. But I won't. Not till the end of the story. _

_And last, but certainly not least, the next chapter will feature everyone's favorite singing medical examiner: Dr. Al Robbins_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 6 or The Reason Why Al and Judy Robbins Have Separate Vacations_

_A/N: I think I have figured out the food thing. I'm not a glutton when it comes to food, but I do have a deep appreciation for certain things like cookies, ice cream, and waffles. And that stuff just happens to work well in my fics, so there you go. _

_Enjoy this chapter and thank you very much for the reviews :)_

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_Early March 2006_

"Is it really necessary to go down every _single _aisle?"

"Oh, stop your whining Al. And yes it is; I want to make sure we don't forget anything."

"Isn't that what a list is for?"

"Yes, but sometimes there are things I forget to write down."

Al Robbins loved his wife; really he did. But it was moments like this one that reminded him why they took separate vacations.

That morning, Al decided to accompany to his wife, Judy, to the grocery store. What he thought would be a twenty minute trip turned into an hour excursion as Judy steered the cart up and down every aisle. Now he realized why she came home with twenty more items than what was originally on the list.

He sighed in relief as they made their way to produce. That meant only the meat section was left, and then they could finally go home. While picking out some tomatoes, he heard a couple of familiar voices in behind him.

"Here. I got the cans of soup that _you_ forgot."

"Did you check for dents, honey?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

Sure enough when Al turned around he saw Grissom and Sara standing two tables away. He blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but it looked as if the pair was sharing a cart. They were having a lighthearted argument about selecting oranges.

In the middle of an autopsy about three months ago, Sara had called Grissom, "Gil." Al thought that was odd since only a handful of people called the entomologist by his first name. He didn't think much of the name slip. But seeing them together at the store, made another incident understandable. Grissom had suddenly taken a week off at the beginning of January. When Al asked Catherine if she knew of Grissom's whereabouts, the blonde gave him an unclear answer. He didn't make the connection until now, but that was the same week Sara was sick with the flu.

Smiling to himself, Al chose to leave Grissom and Sara to their time together. As he and Judy started to walk away, his wife took notice of the other couple.

"Isn't that Gil and Sara from the lab?" When Al nodded, she continued, "Why didn't you tell me those two finally got together?"

He simply shrugged. "I wasn't aware there was something between them in the first place."

"Dear, it's been pretty obvious for a while. And I only saw them at Christmas parties and the summer barbeques." She patted him kindly on the shoulder. "I think there's a reason why they're the investigators."

Al scowled at her, but she ignored him as she began to approach Grissom and Sara. "What are you doing?" He frantically asked.

"I'm going to say 'hi'," she replied. He reluctantly followed.

Judy wouldn't just say "hi;" she would try to engage them in a conversation. Al knew with their intensely private natures that it wasn't the best idea to approach Grissom and Sara about their relationship. However, his friendly, extroverted wife didn't understand that.

And it was too late to explain the situation to her because she already greeted them. "Hi Gil! Hi Sara! How are you two doing?"

Both CSIs wore surprised expressions when they looked up to find Al and Judy. Grissom quickly got his bearings back as he said hello and answered, "We're fine. How are you?"

_What has Sara done to him?_ Al wondered. Grissom rarely asked people how they were doing.

Judy smiled at her husband before addressing Grissom again. "We've been good. The kids are doing great."

"And you're still teaching?"

"Yes, I'm doing biology at the high school," she informed him. "My morbid senior students can't wait for Al to come talk to the class."

The chief medical examiner smirked. "And who could blame them?"

Judy rolled her eyes. Then she spoke to Sara, "And I heard you're getting published in one of the forensic journals."

Nodding, she stated, "I'm just doing a little write up on a case we had a few years ago where a boxer was killed in the ring."

"I remembered hearing about that," Judy said. "Didn't the opponent put something in his gloves?"

"Mercury."

"That's right, it was mercury. It was unbelievable that adding a few ounces of metal to the gloves could do that much damage to the other man."

"We did an experiment with two sets of gloves--one without the mercury and one with mercury--and we found the force of punches considerably differently. The gloves without mercury…" And the two women launched into a discussion about the case and Sara's article, while Al and Grissom smiled politely at each other.

Al didn't know what to say to the other man. The two usually found themselves at work or work related functions where they could trade information on cases or enjoy a battle of wits. But now Al had stumbled into a part of Grissom's personal life, and had no idea how on how to congratulate him on his apparently comfortable relationship with Sara. So Al decided to go back to their routine of exchanging odd facts.

"You ever notice women do this in grocery stores, all the time?" Al quietly asked.

"I've only seen this on previous occasions, but I've never experienced it…until now," Grissom pointed out, with that smirking glint in his eye.

It was all Al could do to keep from chuckling out. "Well get used to it," he began, "because it only gets worse from here. The closet taken over by an obscene amount of clothes; your dish cabinets suddenly rearranged; flower pots suddenly appearing on your balcony." He paused before murmuring, "And the inevitable heart attack when the salesman tells you the price of the engagement ring that is perfect for her."

Judging by Grissom's small smile, Al knew his engagement comment wasn't out of line. In fact, he guessed that Grissom would propose to Sara within the next couple of months. The nightshift team might have known about the relationship before him, but Al Robbins was the first to figure out how serious Grissom was about having Sara in his life.

The men were brought back to attention when they heard Judy tell Grissom and Sara, "We don't want to take up any more of your time, but it was nice bumping into you. And if you guys are ever interested, we would love to have you over for dinner sometime."

Al assumed Grissom would turn down the offer. It was a difficult task getting the supervisor to socialize with others. He hoped his wife wouldn't be too disappointed when she heard Grissom's response.

Grissom glanced at Sara as if to ask her permission for his answer. "That sounds nice. We'd like to come over whenever it's convenient for you."

Beaming, Judy exclaimed, "Great! I'll call you next week and we can set something up."

The two couples said goodbye to each other. Al and Judy watched Grissom and Sara walk away; the brunette said something to him with a bright smile and then quickly kissed his cheek.

"You can apologize now," Judy sweetly told her husband.

Al's eyebrows scrunched in disbelief. "For what?"

"For that terrified look on your face earlier. For thinking I was going to harass Gil and Sara. I know those two are quiet people."

How she could read his mind, he would never figure out. As usual he conceded when he was wrong. "You're right. I'm sorry. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt."

She regarded him for a moment. "Good, but not good enough. After we bring the groceries to the piranhas," she said, referring to their three children, "you can come with me to look at lamp shades."

Closing his eyes, Al groaned inwardly. He wondered if it was too late to warn Grissom about more of the drawbacks to female companionship.

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_Now you didn't this was the end did you? Pashaw. There's more fun up ahead. Two chapters left so please stick around. _

_And Nana Olaf's Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies to my beta. But wait you already got those ;)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 7 or Dinner With the Grissoms-Part One_

_A/N: This chapter was supposed to be a nice little epilogue where I got to fangirl out a little. Then the characters took it over, and it ended up waaay longer than I had planned. To make it easier to read, I will post it in two chapters. The second one will be up Thursday morning. _

_And these last parts are fluffy. Big time fluffy. _

_Thanks again for the kind reviews. Hope you like this chapter._

_And EllipsesBandit, thank you for all of your hard work :)_

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_Mid September 2006_

"Mmmmm. That smells really good."

"Thanks, but it's the same soap I always use."

"I was talking about the sauce."

"Oh."

Sara grinned into his shoulder at the sound of disappointment in Grissom's voice. She nuzzled the back of his neck while he continued to fill the cooked pasta shells with ricotta cheese.

Gently squeezing his middle, she asked, "When is everyone supposed to come over?"

"Jim just called; he's riding with Warrick and Tina, and they'll be here in twenty minutes. Al and Judy will be coming at 6:30. And Greg and Nick are coming with Catherine and Lindsey, but they're going to be late; Nick has to pick something up."

There had been no formal housewarming party after the townhouse was redecorated and Sara had moved in. At the time, their relationship wasn't common knowledge and they still wanted to maintain their privacy. But after they became engaged, Grissom and Sara decided to invite the team to their house for dinner.

When Grissom tentatively broached the subject of marriage earlier in the summer, Sara explained that she wasn't against it; she didn't like the obsession with the wedding itself. She felt people put too much stock into picking the right flowers or the color of the bridesmaids' dresses. All the attention had been taken away from the vows and placed on insignificant details. She wanted the promises they made to each other to be the main focus.

After their discussion, she wondered how Grissom would propose, if he planned to do so. One cool evening in August, he bravely asked her to marry him in the most romantic way she had never considered. It didn't include flowers or candlelight or Grissom in a tuxedo or Sara wearing some beautiful designer gown; none of those clichéd romantic things.

He proposed while they had been snuggling in bed with him wearing his favorite pair of Snoopy boxers and her in a red tank top and snowman pajama pants. She accepted, and they somehow ended up missing their shift.

Since their guests were arriving soon, Grissom suggested they pull out the appetizer; bread pieces with different flavors of oil for dipping. As Sara poured the oil into bowls, Grissom stood behind her and mimicked her pose from earlier. He rested his cheek against her own and she smiled at the feel of his soft, bare face.

About two months ago, Sara had come home to a clean shaven Grissom. After she spent several moments utterly speechless, he shyly asked if she liked it. Her reply was to touch his face thoroughly with her hands and lips, exploring all the skin that was hidden by the beard, including the dimple on his chin.

She loved his new look because not only did she feel physically closer to him, but mentally as well. It seemed as if he had let go of the last barrier that separated them.

"You didn't have to make manicotti," she told him. "You could've done your Italian meat lasagna and I could've made myself something else."

"It's not a big deal. Besides, I wouldn't want you to eat food that would be burned."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Shouldn't you be filling those pasta shells?"

Letting go of her, he answered, "I finished, but the sauce needs a few more minutes."

Grissom pulled out the bag of bread pieces, and Sara stood in front of him with another bowl. Instead of emptying the contents in the dish, he started dropping the pieces one at a time.

"You think you're sooo cute, don't you?" Sara's tone was full of sarcasm.

"Of course." He tilted his head to the side. "Isn't that the reason you're marrying me?"

"Nope. I'm marrying you because you happen to be the perfect human furnace to keep me warm while I'm asleep and I don't have to remind you to take out the trash," she deadpanned.

Frowning slightly, he put the rest of the bread in the bowl. "Excuse me. The furnace must finish cooking the meal so it'll have plenty of fuel later." He turned back to the stove to stir the sauce.

She walked back from the table to stand next to him. "Baby, I was just kidding. I'm not marrying you just because of those reasons."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup," she replied easily. "I really want to win my bet with Greg that you won't die an old bachelor."

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"So Grissom's house doesn't look like some sterile hospital room anymore?"

Catherine sighed. "No, Greg. The walls are painted, the living room has carpet, and the windows even have curtains."

"Don't forget about the landscape pictures," Lindsey added.

After picking up Nick and Greg, Catherine stopped by a small furniture store so they could pick up Nick's gift for Grissom and Sara. Now the group, including Lindsey, headed over to the townhouse.

Nick shook his head. "Grissom must be whipped if he let Sara do all that stuff to his place. Did they at least get rid of that thing Grissom had as a couch?"

Lindsey craned her head around the front seat to look at Nick. "Yeah. They got a recliner and these two big brown couches that are really comfy."

"You would know," Catherine chuckled. "You dozed off on one of them before we started painting the bathroom."

"Taking all those frames down was a lot of work!" Her daughter exclaimed. "And I wasn't the only one; Uncle Gil and Sara slept on it too."

"Those two actually sleep?" Greg snorted. "What, did you actually see this?"

"Yeah. Mom and I went over and help them with the living room," Lindsey explained. "After we finished painting and got all those bugs on the wall, Mom and I went to Silver Mine to get some sandwiches. And when we came back, Sara and Uncle Gil were all curled up on one of the couches taking a nap."

"Just the thought of those two acting like a couple is way too weird," Greg said. Even after the department found they were together, Grissom and Sara didn't behave much differently than before, with the exception of them being more friendly to each other. Only a few people had seen how they acted outside of work. "I knew this whole thing was totally strange when Sara told me last year."

Catherine's eyebrows rose slightly. "You found out last year? When?"

Greg thought for moment. "Umm, last August. Right before the bake sale."

"I found out last July," Nick added.

"Wait a second," Catherine demanded, "You two _knew_ before I did. They told you guys _first_."

Nick just shrugged. "It's not like Griss sat me down and explained the situation. I found out through Sara."

"Me too," Greg said.

"So Sara told her friends, and Gil didn't even bother to mention it to me," she spat.

Leaning forward in his seat, Greg smiled. "The clues were kind of obvious: they both smiled, they hardly maxed out on overtime, and Grissom actually turned down a case when Ecklie called him in." His grin broadened. "Maybe your investigative skills aren't what they used to be."

His eyes widened in fear at Catherine's death glare.

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"You did knock before you came in, right? I know you have this problem with interrupting Gil and Sara."

Warrick huffed. "How did you find out about that?"

"You told Nick, Nick told Greg, and Greg told me." Brass smirked. "I always wondered who would find them getting busy at the lab."

Brass, Warrick, and Tina had arrived at the townhouse about ten minutes ago. Warrick and his wife sat on one couches while Brass had taken up residence in Grissom's leather recliner.

Sara walked into the living room with two glasses of wine and set them on the coffee table. "We weren't 'getting busy,' Jim. What happened in the supply closest was…a lapse in judgment." She turned to Warrick. "And why did you tell Nick?"

"Hey, I had my reasons."

Rubbing his shoulder, Tina smiled. "He claimed he had to share his trauma."

Grissom joined them, and sat next to Sara on the other sofa. "Trauma, Warrick?" He cocked his eyebrow in question.

Warrick opened his mouth for a moment, but no words came out. "Okay, maybe trauma is too strong of a word, but I only told Nick after he said he knew you guys were together."

Brass took a sip of water from his glass. "Nick never knew how to keep his mouth shut." He then turned his attention to Grissom and Sara. "So can we safely assume what's going on when you two are alone in Gil's office?"

"Jim, would you like more bread?" Grissom sharply offered.

Grinning evilly, Brass just answered, "I know you're looking for something to keep my mouth busy." Then he delightfully added, "But we all know how you like to keep your mouth busy."

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"What's the reward for finding and returning lost teenagers?"

Sara had just opened the door to find Al and Judy. Her forehead wrinkled at Al's question. "What are you talking about?"

Lindsey gave her a small wave. "Hey, Sara."

"Hi, Lindsey. Where are your mom and Nick and Greg?"

"They're in the car," the blonde girl replied.

"Why would they still be in the car?"

"Mom found out Nick and Greg knew about you and Uncle Gil before she did."

Sara leaned her head against the frame. "Great," she drawled. "Come in you guys. Hopefully they'll be in soon."

Lindsey trailed in after Al and Judy. "If they stay out there all night, you guys at least get some presents," she said, holding up two gift bags.

"We brought you something too." Judy set a card on an end table in the living room where the other gifts sat. "Al also has the cheesecake for dessert."

"Cheesecake?" Lindsey's eyes brightened.

"Yes, dear; chocolate swirl with a cherry topping. I figured everyone could indulge tonight."

After Al joined his wife on the other couch, Warrick hesitantly questioned, "Who made it?"

Al looked at him skeptically. "Why?"

"I'm just wondering."

"I did," Judy announced, "I wasn't going to let Al taint it with all that low carb, low fat, and low sugar stuff. It defeats the purpose of a cheesecake."

"The pie wasn't that bad," Al adamantly defended.

"Yes it was," Brass muttered.

Grissom brought more drinks for the new arrivals and sat next to Sara on the sofa with Al and Judy. Lindsey plopped on the end from Warrick and Tina. Brass asked Lindsey about the argument.

She leaned back into the cushions. "They were talking about it the whole way over here. Then we pulled into the parking lot, and they were _still_ talking. I don't think any of them knew we were here." She shrugged. "I wasn't going to sit in there all night so I got out when I saw Dr. and Mrs. Robbins."

Nodding his head slightly, Brass commented, "Smart girl."

"I wasn't going to miss one of Uncle Gil's meals."

Just then the door opened and Catherine brusquely walked inside. Everyone watched as she silently went to the kitchen to pour herself some wine. Brass was the first to speak when Catherine stood next to him.

"Hey, Cath. How was the ride over?"

Looking down at his grin, she took a deep, controlled breath. "It was fine, Jim," Catherine finally managed. "Although I do have to wonder why Greg Sanders is entitled to certain information about my _friend's_ life," at this, she stared pointedly at Grissom, "before I am."

Grissom held his usual stoic expression since she had came inside. "Catherine, it wasn't that Greg was entitled to the information; he just followed the evidence." A small smile appeared. "He's becoming an excellent investigator. You could learn something from him."

Warrick turned to face the wall; Sara visibly bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to keep from laughing; and Lindsey's shoulders shook as she quietly giggled.

Catherine opened her mouth to give Grissom what would be an immediate tongue lashing, but was stopped by the loud voices coming from outside.

"Open the door, man!"

"Greg, it's rude to just walk in. Lemme knock."

"Dude, Brass' Charger was out front. We know everyone's here. Just open the stupid door."

There was a loud thump, then, "Ow! All right. Hold on."

Greg and Nick stumbled in holding opposite ends of a tall wooden book shelf. They moved a few feet inside before carefully setting it against the wall.

"Thanks for your help Catherine," Nick huffed.

"Yeah, we totally appreciate it," Greg agreed.

Sitting next to Lindsey, she answered, "You're welcome, boys."

"What did you bring?" Sara asked, eyeing the furniture.

"It's from me; it's a book shelf," Nick told her, "It's your engagement slash wedding present." He handed her two envelopes. "The one on top is from the lab techs and the other one's from me. And by the way, that's a nice shirt, Jim."

Brass glanced down at his black polo shirt and pressed jeans and then raised an eyebrow. "Thanks."

Greg scowled at Nick before smugly announcing, "Well, I brought a present that is far more superior to any of your presents." He showed off a beautifully wrapped box that he had stuck on one of the shelves.

"Oh, yeah. What is it?" Warrick didn't sound optimistic.

"Just something to remind Sara of the life she could've had." Greg waggled his eyebrows at her. "Last chance. You're not married yet."

Sara smiled apologetically. "Uh, no thanks."

"You know, Greg, some cultures have severe punishments when one man tries to steal another man's wife," Grissom casually mentioned.

Greg just sighed. "That's fine. But no matter what you say, I still got to be in a shower, _naked_, with your future wife." As Grissom's eyes hardened a bit, Greg got bolder. "Thanks to Doc Robbins."

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_What can I say? I want Greg to have the last word sometime. _


	8. Chapter 8

_Hide 'n Seek_

_Chapter 8 or Dinner With the Grissoms-Part Two_

_A/N: I know I said I would have this up before the premiere, but something happened with the site's email system so I wasn't sure if the latest chapter got read. But it looks like things are back to normal. And without further adieu, here's the last chapter._

* * *

"I know you're not into all those traditions, Sara, but I'm going to toast y'all anyway." Nick raised his glass. "May your lives be filled with unending love and happiness. You both deserve it. 

Grissom nodded at the younger man. "Thank you, Nick," he said sincerely.

"And Sara, you couldn't have made a better choice," Nick continued, "'cause now we have someone to help us when we need certain days off."

"Or raises," Catherine added.

"And promotions," Greg said.

With the toast finished, everyone dug into the meal. The dining room was filled with lively conversation and laughter. The group took advantage of enjoying each other as friends, and not just as colleagues. They talked about junior high school experiences as Lindsey had just entered eighth grade. Warrick nearly choked on some garlic bread when Judy asked him about having kids. At one point or another, people offered their own marital advice to Grissom and Sara:

"Remember hello, goodbye, good morning, and goodnight kisses."

"Gil, be glad those couches are comfortable. You never know when you might be sleeping on 'em."

"Even though you'll be married, it's still important to say 'I love you.'"

"Ignore the statement 'never go to bed angry;' it's such a load of crap."

After dinner, they piled into the living room so Grissom and Sara could open their gifts.

Nick said his present would be useful with what the lab had gotten them. All the technicians had signed a card and chipped in for a Barnes and Noble gift card; the amount was $200.

Brass had given them a beautiful clock for the mantle. Tickets to Cirque du Soleil's "O" and reservations at a Thai restaurant came from Al and Judy. The chief medical examiner's wife explained that married couples still needed date nights.

The next present came from Warrick and Tina, which happened to be some assorted scents of bubble bath and candles.

Sara's smile was filled with approval after she inhaled the sweet smell of the bottles. When she asked Grissom what he thought, he sniffed, and gave a small shrug. "It's nice," was all he offered

She stared at him before deciding he wasn't going to give a more detailed opinion. Sara thanked the other couple.

"You're welcome. I'm a big fan of the 'Pure Seduction,' but Warrick's favorite is 'Romantic Wish,' Tina said, referring to the label on the bottle Grissom held.

The tightening of Warrick's jaw was visible as he slowly covered his eyes with one of his hands. He tried to face the wall, but there was no way he could hide from Nick, Greg, and Brass' chuckles.

"I never pictured you as the bubble bath type," Brass mused.

"I can now. I bet he fills the tub with '_Romantic Wish_,' lights the candles, and pops Celine Dion in the stereo," teased Greg. "I guess this a better alternative to watching a football game."

Nick's expression turned more serious. "I am little surprised at this." When Greg and Brass gave him puzzled looks, Nick clarified, "I thought you'd be a 'Strawberries and Champagne' man myself."

Warrick regarded his friends with some distain. "You've all had your fun. Now you can shut up."

The tone of his voice was enough to warn the three men to stop, but Brass wasn't finished. "You like taking bubble baths, Gil?"

"No."

Catherine purchased a set of green striped Egyptian cotton towels for the couple along with a plush bathroom mat. Grissom asked her why she had gotten them a second present, but Lindsey said it was from her.

The gift was a framed picture of Grissom and Sara with their arms around each other, standing in front of a display of plants. It was their first official snapshot as a couple from a visit to the butterfly pavilion. Lindsey explained that her mother got the photograph from them and then had it enlarged. The frame was a light colored wood and around it Lindsey had drawn on pictures of a butterfly, ladybug, music note, book, magnifying glass, and a microscope. She even managed to include a physics equation.

Finally, Grissom and Sara made it to the box from Greg. Inside was a silver wind chime that had a melodious sound as Sara brushed some of the bars against each other. Grissom then pulled a circular tin from the box; it contained…

"Nana Olaf's Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies. I figured you guys could have some that were eggshell free."

The long cookies title prompted Warrick to ask, "Sara helped you with those at the bake sale, right?" Greg nodded, and a half grin tugged at Warrick's mouth. "I wondered why those cookies were crunchy when I tasted them."

* * *

"Don't forget, you owe me twenty-five bucks." 

Greg rolled his eyes at Nick. "Yeah, Yeah. You'll get your money. I still think Brass bought those clothes just for tonight. He probably sleeps in a tie."

Brass clapped the young man's shoulder as he headed out the door. "Actually I sleep in the buff."

A shiver ran down Greg's spine, visibly shaking him. "I so didn't need that visual."

Everyone had filed slowly out, giving Grissom and Sara more thoughts on marriage and their promise to be at the wedding. Greg, Nick, Catherine, and Lindsey were the last to leave.

After Lindsey snagged a few leftover pieces of cheesecake, she told Grissom and Sara goodbye. Grissom surprised Lindsey (and the four adults) when he pulled her into a hug and thanked her for the picture.

Greg shook his head in pure astonishment. "What the hell did you do to him?" He whispered to Sara.

She just shrugged. "I didn't do a thing."

* * *

_Warrick must enjoy floral scents if he likes 'Romantic Wish.' 'Pure Seduction' has a sweet fruit scent to it and 'Strawberries and Champagne' isn't as overpowering as I thought. But 'Vanilla Lace' is still my favorite._

Those were Grissom's thoughts as he inspected the bubble baths once the guests had left. He had told the truth when he stated that he didn't like bubble baths; he loved them. Truthfully, he found it to be the perfect way to relax after long shifts…with Sara of course. In fact, they made it a weekly tradition-a time where the two could open up to each other. But Sara at least knew never to let anyone know about his indulgence.

After he closed the bottle tops, Grissom went searching for his fiancée. He found her on their balcony staring at the stars.

"I was thinking about the wedding, and I thought we could-" but his words were lost as Sara framed his face with her hands and pressed her lips to his.

Caught by surprise, Grissom's arms remained by his side while she thoroughly kissed him. She didn't let go for the longest time, and he could feel his IQ dropping until he could only register her soft mouth and the scent of her skin. Country Apple was her newest body wash.

"Thank you," she said when she finally released him.

He blinked a few times to clear his vision. Either that or his glasses had fogged up. "F-for what?" He hoarsely asked.

"Letting the team come over. I know it was a little overwhelming, but tonight." She paused. "Tonight was a lot of fun."

"This is your home too," he gently told her. "You can have them over when you want to."

He must have done the right thing again because she kissed him. Grissom made a mental note to do more right things.

Once she was satisfied, Sara tugged him over to the porch swing. He lay down with his back against the armrest, and she snuggled against his chest with a contented sigh.

As they gently rocked back and forth, he noticed the flowers and plants Sara had placed in various pots on the railing and ground were still thriving. She had been adding more to the little garden during the summer.

"So you were saying something about the wedding," Sara murmured.

His hand made lazy strokes down her back. "I know you don't want a formal reception, but I thought we could invite the team to a nice dinner. Just something small. Or we could have them over here," he suggested.

She relaxed further into his arms. "I knew it; you really do like our crew."

He smiled. "Don't tell anyone."

* * *

The End

_I thank each and everyone of you for reading and reviewing this story. You have no idea how pleased I am that so many people enjoyed this. I hope you guys liked the ending._

_And now the show has proved my point of GSR and food being a great combination. Hooray for veggie burgers!_

_Finally, waffles and cookies for anyone who can tell me where you can find the scents, 'Pure Seduction,' 'Romantic Wish,' and 'Vanilla Lace.' _


End file.
